The pindvedi near Chandchaura in Gaya lies neglected ahead of Pitripaksh Mela. Picture by Suman

Gaya, Sept. 2: Lakhs of pilgrims arrive at Gaya every year to perform pinddaan rituals on the vedis, but most of these heritage structures have been uncared for, posing a threat to the religious heritage.

A majority of the vedis (structure where the pinddaan rituals are performed) have either fallen victim to encroachment or are covered under heaps of garbage and facing extinction. These vedis are spread between Dharmaranya (Bodhgaya) and Punpun (Patna district). Though the government has declared three important sites, where pinddaan is performed, Pretshila, Ramshila and Vishnupad temple, as protected sites, other vedis could not be undertaken for protection, as members of Gayapal Panda Samaj have officiating rights of the same. It, therefore, is a joint responsibility of the Gayapal Panda Samaj members as well as the government to protect these ancient structures and keep the religious heritage of Gaya alive. It is a religious belief that after performing pinddaan rituals at Gaya, the souls of ancestors get salvation from the rebirth cycle.

Sources said there used to be 360 vedis, which have been reduced to 45. The Vishnupad Area Development Committee (VADC) patron Swami Raghwacharya of Ramanuj Math told The Telegraph: “According to Vedas, two types of vedis exist here, Pind vedi and Tirth vedi. The existing vedis include 16 on the Vishnupad temple premises, Panch Trithi including Dakshin Manas, Udichi and Kankhal at the Suryakund pond (also known as Dakshin Manas talab), Gayakoop, Ramshila, Pretshila, Mangla Gauri, Sita Kund, Brahm Sarovar, Vaitarni, Akshaywat besides, Dharmaranya and Matangvyapi (Bodhgaya) and Punpun (Patna district). Akshaywat is the vedi where the last pind is offered. Apart from these, there is a very important vedi— the temple of god Janardan above the Mangala Gauri temple. This is the vedi where one can perform his/her own pinddaan (called jeevit pinddaan), if there is no one in the family who can perform the rituals.”

Among the 360 vedis, most have been lost owing to encroachment or are in a dilapidated condition. The vedis that have fallen victim to encroachment include Mund Prishtha, Dhautpad and Aadi Gaya towards west of the Vishnupad temple, Jihwalol at Deo Ghat towards north of the burning ghat besides, Amrasinchan and several vedis between Vaitarni and Brahmsarovar pond near Mangala Gauri temple.

A member of Gayapal Panda Samaj, Narayan Lal Gurda, said: “Tarak Brahm is a small temple-shaped vedi near the western side of the Brahmsarovar and adjacent to it is Kakwali, which has also been encroached upon. Similarly, the Godawari Tirth vedi and Amrshechar are in a dilapidated condition. Pilgrims not willing to go to Punpun have an option to offer pindaan at Godawari.”

Earlier, the place where the vedis are located had space to accommodate 50 to 100 pilgrims, who could sit at and perform the rituals. But the area of these vedis have been encroached by the locals for construction of houses, VADC chairman Suresh Narayan told The Telegraph.